Free fun at national parks

My friend John Poimeroo sent me a quick note about upcoming deals at national parks that I thought I'd pass along. John reminds me that National Park Week is coming up (Ap. 16-24) and there are dozens of discounts, offers and deals valid during that special week. You can find them all online at nationalparksonline.org. The offers being made by park businesses and organizations are in addition to free admission to all national parks, being given by the National Park Service on Fee-Free Days in 2011.

So plan now for a national park visit and make a long weekend of it. You'll never forget the trip.

Details: Fee-Free Days in 2011 include National Park Week; the first day of summer, June 21; Public Lands Day, Sept. 24; and the Veteran's Day weekend, Nov. 11-13.

Yosemite in winter-an insider speaks

You don't have to have a friend living in Yosemite National Park to get the inside track on what's cool about a winter visit there, but it doesn't hurt. My pal Teri just moved there to work for the park concessionare. Yep, she and her husband live right in the middle of Yosemite Valley! (I can only imagine the view out their front window). How cool is that?

Her latest report? "Right now we’ve got Chefs’ Holidays at the Ahwahnee going on until early February. Winter is awesome because there’s hardly anyone here and you often get the feeling you’ve got the park all to yourself. Badger Pass is California’s original ski area, celebrating its 75^th anniversary this season, and is seriously the safest place for families to teach their kids how to ski. They’ve also got a Nordic Center that’s all about world-class cross-country skiing and snowshoeing." Thanks for the scoop, Teri.

Details: To help plan your visit, click here. For lodging and dining info, click here.
PHOTO CREDIT: Kenny Karst, DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, Inc.

California whale watching tours on the north coast

Some flukey things to plan ahead for: weekend whale talks start January 2 at MacKerricher State Park, near Ft. Bragg on the Mendocino coast. Trained docents will spout off about the annual gray whale migration and about other marine mammals seen along the coast every Saturday and Sunday at 11 AM, January 2--March 21.

March 6 - 7, and March 19, 20 and 21 marks the Mendocino and Fort Bragg Whale Festival. The activities focus on three top whale viewing points: MacKerricher State Park north of Fort Bragg, Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park, and the Ford House Visitor Center at Mendocino Headlands State Park. For more about art and crafts, food tasting and events, click here.


Details: The talk/walk starts at the MacKerricher Visitor Center and then proceeds to the whale skeleton before caravanning to Laguna Point for whale watching. MacKerricher State Park is located approximately three miles north of Fort Bragg on Highway 1.Turn at the MacKerricher State Park sign, and park near the entrance station and visitor center. For more, click here.

Christmas at Yosemite

Winter just may be my fave season at Yosemite National Park. If you're into lots of action, there's plenty of variety in winter sports (click here for current conditions). I've written about skating at the Curry Village ice rink (one of California's most dramatic outdoor ice skating venues). Take a spin on the ice, or sit by the fire pit and wolf down toasty s'mores. Head up to Badger Pass for downhill skiing, siding down a tubing hill, or joining guided snowshoe hikes into the forest. There are easy valley hikes to take (watch for the tracks of last night's animal visitors in the snow).

And if you're into less action, then there is the Ahwahnee Hotel. In the famously formal dining room, plunk yourself down at a window looking up at Half Dome dusted in snow and partake of a grand meal. Or just lounge by the most massive fireplace this side of a European castle. Time your visit right and you can hone your food-and-wine knowledge at the outstanding Chefs Holidays and Vintners Holidays (see my earlier story on those dinners), shown at left; the best parts: meeting the chefs and then enjoying a 5-course wine-paired dinner. Or if you're really into the holidays, enjoy the festive pageant of music and food that marks the Bracebridge Dinner (easier to get tickets to, now that they've expanded the schedule).

Details: For ice rink conditions, 209/372-8319. For road and weather conditions, call the automated National Park Service info line at 209/372-0200. Chefs Holidays and Vintners Holidays start in January; for schedule, click here. The Bracebridge runs Dec. 13-25 on vario;us days; for details, click here. For lodging options, click here.
PHOTO CREDIT: Ahwahnee Hotel, courtesy Kenny Karst, DNC

A bit of Yosemite at Sunol park

I know, Thanksgiving is tomorrow. So why not plan now to take off the pounds you know you're going to add after our national eating holiday? I've got just the place: Sunol Regional Wilderness in the East Bay. With miles of hiking trails, newly-greened hills, and a rocky gorge dubbed Little Yosemite, it's the perfect antidote to our traditional pig-out and pigskin day.

Last fall, I took a roughly 4-mile hike with pals Linda and Terry, enticed by the prospect of exploring the 6,859-acre wilderness, with more than 25 miles of trail. As I take my hiking poles out of the car, Terry gently teases me about my "canes". I tell him that, while the trail looks gentle enough at the outset, we'll soon be boulder-hopping and grateful for the support provided by the poles.

We trek up the Canyon View Trail, that crosses Alameda Creek and enter a forest of alder, willow, and sycamore. Coast live oaks dot the hillsides, along with valley and blue oak. In the bushes and trees, we spot acorn woodpecker, black phoebe, and titmouse. Overhead, lots of turkey vultures soar; and I keep my eyes peeled for the golden eagle, said to be commonly sighted in this part of the Diablo range.

Soon, we reach the weathered serpentine and sandstone outcrop that marks the entrance to Little Yosemite (there's a picnic table opposite the side trail going down into the gorge). We hop and crawl over massive boulders that give this spot its name. Deep pools reflect yellow and crimson leaves from overhanging trees, and a small waterfall cascades over the lip of a giant blue-green serpentine cliff. It's a magnificent, peaceful place. We pause and spread our small picnic over a flat rock, sharing our cheeses and apples. And on the climb out, I share one of my hiking poles with Linda (and yes, Terry has stopped kidding me about my "canes").

Details: Fall and spring are the best times to hike here, when summer's blast-furnace heat has abated, the grassy hills have colored up, and there's water in the creek. Parking Fee
$5/seasonal, weekends and holidays. The park is at 1895 Geary Road, Sunol, 925/ 862-2218,
925-862-2244 or 925-862-2601. Toll Free: 888-EBPARKS (888-327-2757), option 3, extension 4559.
Park directions: From the Oakland/Berkeley area:
Drive east on I-580 to the junction with I-680 in Pleasanton. At the junction, go south on I-680 and exit at Calaveras Road/Highway 84 just south of the town of Pleasanton. Turn left onto Calaveras Road and proceed to Geary Road, which leads directly into the park.

Christmas at Hearst Castle

I’ve heard that Christmas was one of William Randolph Hearst’s favorite holidays (didn't he get a way-cool sled one year?). So can you just imagine celebrating the holidays at Hearst Castle in San Simeon in the 1930s and 40s? (And they say the 1990s were the era of excess!)

The Julia Morgan-designed estate perched atop La Cuesta Encantada (The Enchanted Hill) was indeed an enchanting setting for Hearst’s little soirees; the famed publishing magnate entertained on a grand scale, and it's said that bigwigs fought over invitations to the Castle during the holidays.

Nowadays, Hearst Castle® is a state park, so you don’t need an invitation to Christmas—just a reservation (and it’s not too soon to start working on it). Hearst Castle is already quite decorative (to put it mildly). It looks like the top of a wedding cake. For a princess. So this may be gilding the lily, but what the heck, Hearst would have loved it: by December 1st the Christmas decorations will all be up and ready for you to enjoy. The Assembly Room, The Refectory, and The Morning Room are lavish with decorations—hand-made garlands, brilliant red poinsettias, and two 18-foot Christmas trees decorated with lights and traditional ornaments. (To see these rooms, sign up for The Experience Tour during the daytime.)


Details: Tours offered daily (except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day). Reservations are highly recommended (availability is limited). The Experience Tour costs $24, $12 for ages 6-17; for reservations call 800/444-4445 or online at www.hearstcastle.com.
PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY OF CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS, 2009

Sumo seals at Ano Nuevo State Park

Brace yourself: the big guys are about to return to Ano Nuevo State Park. The sumo wrestlers of the pinniped world, elephant seal males weigh up to 5,000 pounds and during mating season, they really know how to put on a show. Except when they don't feel like it. When they ARE feeling, er, in the mood for love, they do what some tacky guys do. They throw their weight around, do chest bumps with each other, and get into nasty, biting, snorting, snot-slinging fights. That's their idea of fun.

The much smaller elephant seals girls just lie there, eyes closed (thinking of England, perhaps), and hoping not to get squished on their romantic 'date'.

When the elephant seals don't feel like 'it', they just lie on the beach like large, brown turds (hey, you get downwind of them after they've been lying there for a while and see what springs to mind). So after you've signed up weeks in advance, paid your money, and hiked out a couple miles over the dunes to witness wildlife in action, you pretty much hope you see some action.

And, bulls being bulls, you stand a good chance of seeing a lot. But you know what? Even if you don't see a fight, you'll witness one of wildlife's most amazing spectacles. You'll see thousands of animals in a beautiful coastal setting, birthing pups, lunbering along inch-worm style, and living out their lives. Plus you get a nice, informative walk out of it. The guided 3-mile walks (moderately strenuous) go over rolling sand dunes and sloping terrain and last about 2 ½ hours and are held rain or shine. Don't miss one of California's true miracles: it only happens one season a year.

Details: During the winter breeding season – December 15 through March 31 –you can only access the breeding area while on a guided walk (hey, it's for everyone’s protection). On October 20, individuals, families, and other groups can start making their reservations for the Public Seal Walk, for any dates up to 56 days in advance and as late as one day prior to their walk. Cost: $7; Children 3 and under free. Parking $10. Details: 650/ 879-2025 or 650/ 879-0227. To BOOK, click here or call ReserveAmerica 800/ 444-4445.
PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of California State Parks, 2009

California's mysterious sand dunes (and its lost city)

"Sand dunes are made of light," the photographer tells me, and good light is early light, which is why we're out here at dawn. An art director (Dennis) and I are saddling up to ride through the picture frame, across an arching dune (Don wants some action in his shot). It's the late 1980s and we are at Guadalupe-Nipomo sand dunes on California's central coast, shooting my first big story for Sunset Magazine that we hope will make the cover. Soon a warm, lemony sun lights up the sand like mounds of shining crystals. Just as the morning sunlight strikes the face of the dunes, we spur our horses to crest a sand peak, casting long, elegant shadows down the opposite slopes of sand. Snap!

As the camera shutter clicks away in rapid-fire, I imagine I'm starring in some 'blood and sand' picture of the silent movie era, galloping away from the approaching hordes. Not surprising I feel that way, since we're near the site where a legendary Cecile B. DeMille movie was, indeed, filmed.

I've always been fascinated by sand dunes—their sinuous sweep of clean, white sand glistening in the sun, seeming to shape-shift with every angle of light. It's the reason that, long after that old photo shoot, I still find romance and mystery in the curve of a towering dune. So I'm thrilled to learn that the 18-mile-long Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex, on the Santa Barbara/ San Luis Obispo county coastline, is more accessible than ever.

Open to visitors, The Dunes Center in Guadalupe, California, (in the Santa Maria Valley) has just launched a new web site, new tour map, and enhanced educational exhibits to help visitors get the most out of their experience at the Dunes Complex. That's good, because though the dunes are easily accessible from Highway 1 in the Santa Maria Valley, this place is so big, you need good intel to get the most out of it.

This is one of the most ecologically significant and largest intact coastal dune ecosystems on the West Coast. A major portion of the nearly 22,000 acres of dunes is under public management and open for recreation; more than 1,400 species of animals call the dunes home.

The dunes are also where famed director Cecil B. DeMille filmed his 1923 silent epic The Ten Commandments (right); recent movies have filmed here, too, including The Pirates of the Caribbean starring Johnny Depp. DeMille’s massive “City of The Pharaoh” became a lost city after it was abandoned and ultimately buried by the crew and, later, by the shifting sands. A documentary about the modern search for the lost sets of The Ten Commandments—including five-ton sphinxes and giant statues—will debut next summer.

Oh, and our 1980s shot did make the cover, by the way. I saved the picture and glance at it whenever I open that box in the attic; I see a very young girl on horseback, loping across a graceful peak that glistens like sugar—and I remember learning what sand dunes are really made of.

Details: The Dunes Center offers ongoing guided walks and hikes, plus children’s activities, all on the new web site. This month, the center debuts its free new map to help visitors find their way around the dunes; a $2 charitable donation is requested when visiting. The Dunes Center is at 1055 Guadalupe Street (Highway 1) in Guadalupe, California; 805/ 343-2455. For lodging, dining, and recreation information on the Santa Maria Valley, please click here.

Luxury lodging in Death Valley National Park

It's no secret. I love Death Valley (last year, I wrote about taking a spring break vacation there). Now, the storied Inn at Furnace Creek, in the heart of Death Valley National Park, has just opened its doors for the season (through May 9, 2010).

Built in 1927 with 12 guest rooms, a dining room and lobby area, the elegant hotel now boasts 66 rooms, including two suites. The best news: all 66 units were refurbished last year. Maintaining its high quality is probably why the hotel has been awarded the prestigious AAA Four-Diamond Award since 1982. The unique hilltop setting, oasis-like garden, and hot springs-fed swimming pool have made it a lure for celebrities and vacationers alike.

For those looking for a more cost-conscious option, there's the more family-oriented 224 room Furnace Creek Ranch nearby.

While you're in the park, check out one of the largest solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems in the United States, recently completed by Xanterra Parks & Resorts, which owns the Inn and takes environmental concerns seriously.

Details: For more information about Death Valley National Park or to make reservations at in-park lodges, call toll free at 800/236-7916 or 303/297-2757 or go to www.furnacecreekresort.com.

California state parks stay open!

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today unveiled a plan that would allow for all state parks to remain open without increasing the Department of Parks and Recreation budget appropriation. Following the passage of the budget reduction in July, the Governor tasked the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Finance to work together on a plan to achieve $14.2 million in budget savings in the current fiscal year while mitigating the number of park closures.

“Working closely with my Departments of Finance and Parks and Recreation, we have successfully found a way to avoid closing parks this year,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “This is fantastic news for all Californians.”

You got that right, Guv!

National park memories: Yellowstone

We'll get a good look at our National Parks this fall with the new Ken Burns series for PBS. The National Parks: America’s Best Idea —a six-part, 12-hour film— is scheduled for 8 p.m. slot Sept. 27 through Oct. 2 (check local listings). As a huge fan of our national parks, I'm eager to see the series. I'm sure they'll spend a good deal of time at one of my faves: Yellowstone National Park. The thought has had me combing my memories for some of my best times in Yellowstone.

And while the park gets most of its visitors in summer, I love Yellowstone best in winter. The park's first official winter inspection didn't occur until 1887--15 years after it had been designated a national park. Those first inspectors tramped around for a while on heavy wooden skis, half frozen to death, before turning back and declaring the park unfit for winter visitation.

Indeed, Yellowstone in winter is no picnic: snow swirls, winds can howl, and crowds largely melt away. Except for one northern route, roads are snowed in and you can only enter the heart of the part via snowcat or snowmobile (or, of course, by skis). That's when Yellowstone regains its true wild self.

My first winter visit was probably 30 years ago. Here's how I remember it: From West Yellowstone, I climb into a marginally heated red Bombardier snow coach, equipped with tracks like a tank (and about as comfortable) and we rumble our way into the park. Out frosted windows, I see hissing fumaroles spray clouds into the bitterly cold air.

Along the road's edge, we pass small herds of bison lumbering down into warmer, wind- sheltered valleys for food and warmth. The journey takes a couple of hours, including stops alongside the pewter, ice-flecked Yellowstone River to watch trumpeter swans and the occasional elk, looking majestic with a spreading rack of antlers, pawing through the snow to munch on grass below. When we turn the engine off, I stand before a forest glittering with ice, and wrapped in a thick blanket of snow. The silence is so deep, and the sense of alone-ness so complete, it's almost frightening.

Arriving at Old Faithful, I find the geyser still does its thing, just as in summer, but it explodes above a smaller crowd, one swathed in helmets and snowmobile suits, fresh off their ski-dos. The main access to the rest of the hissing stars of Lower Geyser Basin is by snowshoe or cross-country skis. And there, with a bit of effort, I can watch the geyser show in relative solitude. I love lesser-known Castle Geyser, wreathed in mounds of snow and steam, with its white cone continually reformed by hot blobs of mud that erupt like burps. I stand for a while and listen: the geyser almost seems to breathe, as each exhalation adds another crust of ice to the silvery branches of overhanging trees.

I step gingerly toward a steaming, algae-and mineral-tinted pool, edged in hot pink and mustard yellow, with an aqua blue center (kind of like an alien eyeball). Then I remember stories of foolish tourists fallen into the pool and a horrible, boiling death. One wrong step off the snow-packed trail could lead to trouble, so I step carefully back to the snowy path and stick to it.

As I ski along the loop trail, I pass more small geysers and odd steaming formations before swinging around back to the trailhead. The Old Faithful Inn looms into view, shuttered for the season, yet still grand, it's dark wooden roofs and lacy balconies mantled in snow. I'm snapping out of my skis, ready to walk the rest of the way back to the Snow Lodge, when I catch a shadow out of the corner of my eye. Then, it moves.

Here, less that 50 yards from the side door to my lodge and 'civilization', is a furry, dark brown bison. I freeze. He seems almost as big as the snowcoach I rode in on, and certainly as terrifyingly powerful. His liquid brown eye, fringed in long lashes, locks with my eyes, as if in a game of who-blinks-first.

Then he snorts, and slowly crosses the trail in front of me and shuffles down into the basin, as I slowly exhale. Wild, man.

Details: It's a perfect time to plan a winter trip to Yellowstone National Park, a great family destination. The park service offers a handy trip-planner, click here. To book your lodging with the park concessionaire, Xanterra, click here. Or just watch the live geyser-cam showing you Old Faithful.

Happy birthday to Big Basin State Park

One of our favorite parks, Big Basin Redwoods State Park, has a birthday coming up. On September 26, from 10 – 8, you can celebrate Big Basin Founders’ Day and Redwood Jubilee at Big Basin Redwoods State Park (nine miles outside of Boulder Creek on Highway 236). The visionaries, valued workers, and visitors that have shaped the character of Big Basin State Park over the past 107 years will be honored during this special event. So revel in the beauty of the majestic old growth redwoods and enjoy historic hikes, music, games for kids and a melodrama.

It's a good time to remember how much we value our state parks. State parks are under attack, with funding cuts threatening to close some 100 parks. For Californians who treasure the outdoors, the prospect of sacrificing parks to the state's budget woes is unthinkable. (The parks department has begun modest fee increases to help keep parks open, but the major funding still comes from the state budget.) According to the California State Parks Foundation, the list of parks threatened with closure is set to be released next week.

Meanwhile, there's no better time than now to celebrate the parks we love: go out this weekend and visit a state park near you, pay the modest day use/parking fee, and thank the ranger (or volunteer) who staffs the visitor center, and support the nonprofit California State Parks Foundation.

Details: Going to Big Basin: call 831/ 338-8883 or click here. Want to help stave off park closures? Click here for more info on how to take action.
PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of California State Parks, 2009

Seeing, shooting Yosemite's fall color

Planning a fall visit to take in the glories of Yosemite National Park and the High Sierra? The coming months will bring sunny, crisp days, cool nights, and splashes of autumn color. Dogwood trees produce the park's most spectacular hues, turning shades of magenta or pink. An abundance of color, in clusters throughout the park, comes from yellow aspen, broadleaf maples, and cottonwoods; to tawny gold oaks.

And to make sure you really understand what you’re seeing, consider joining The Yosemite Association a nonprofit membership organization that provides opportunities for people to learn about and experience Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Nevada.

Hit the Yosemite Association’s Outdoor Classroom, to gain a deeper understanding of the park’s natural, cultural, and historic story.

Or build your own Yosemite library from their top-notch selection of books, maps, DVDs. One of their most popular books combines artistry and functionality: The Photographer's Guide to Yosemite by Michael Frye (shown at right).

Whether you’re a novice or an expert, this comprehensive guide will help you capture the grandeur of Yosemite. You get an in-depth description of some 40 top photo locations, with tips for the best months and times of day; detailed maps of viewpoints; tips on technique and equipment; and for inspiration—an array of knockout Yosemite photographs.

Details: The Photographer's Guide to Yosemite ($9.95) by Michael Frye, is available through the Yosemite Association store. Click here. For lodging and dining ideas, check the Yosemite/Mariposa County Tourism Bureau.

New cottages outside Yosemite National Park

Just got back from a trip to Yosemite National Park last week. Despite some smoke from recent foothill fires (they're pretty much knocked down, now), I had a fab trip and found some new stuff. Just off Highway 41, and a mere 2 miles from Yosemite's southern entrance, I stumbled upon the Cottages at Tenaya.

Part of (and a five-minute walk from) the AAA Four Diamond-rated Tenaya Lodge, these pretty yellow cottages offer the benefits of a more secluded escape than the main lodge, but with access to Tenaya's signature amenities and services. If the 50-room property looks familiar, it should: it was once called the Apple Tree Inn. Tenaya recently acquired the property, dubbed it the Cottages at Tenaya, spiffed it up with fresh new decor and added some nice touches. So now you can have the best of both worlds: a peaceful cottage experience and all the big-resort luxuries (indoor/outdoor pools, spa, fitness center, upscale dining, concierge service) nearby.

Tucked into the pines, some of the cottages are split into two or three units, so you may have some neighbors, but chances are all you'll hear is the wind through the pines. Now that the busy summer season is past, you can find some great fall and winter package deals. One to check out this winter: the Spa Snow Day/ Girlfriend Getaways Package.

Picture a morning cross-country skiing at Badger Pass (set to celebrate its 75th ann'y next year), then getting a deep-tissue massage at the spa beforearriving back at your cheery yellow cottage with the fire going and deep snow outside. Or end your day at the Lodge's Embers with its signature Blue Flaming Coffees—a mini light show (the server creates it in front of you). Yeah, now that's a getaway.

Save money when you travel

So I was cruisin' around the CNN Money site, when I found this interesting tidbit: "In a typical family sedan, every 10 miles per hour you drive over 60 is like the price of gasoline going up about 54 cents a gallon. "

Yikes! As if the price of gas isn't high enough. It's something to keep in mind during your summer driving season. So if you’re going to the wine country deal for foodies I wrote about, or to see the wildflowers in Tahoe I blogged about earlier, and especially if you’re driving up to Lassen Volcanic National Park for the upcoming free weekend I mentioned earlier, you'll want to keep your cruise control set to 60 MPH.

I knew 'speed kills', but I didn't know speeding could kill your fuel efficiency so effectively. The article concluded that the cost is even higher for vehicles with poor fuel efficiency to start with (hear that, SUV and RV drivers?).

Details: To read the whole fuelish story, go to the CNN link.

Best view of the Golden Gate Bridge?

Sometimes, I avoid some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful spots because “only tourists go there”. I suppose its natural: I’ve grown up with postcard-pretty spots—such as the Marin Headlands—just a short drive from home, so I often take them for granted. And other times, I remember: they’re a big part of why I still live here.

Here I am on a Friday, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and looking up through the sunroof to a robin’s egg-blue sky behind the ocher-red thrust of the bridge’s North Tower. Pulling off at the Alexander Avenue exit, I bear right, then left onto Bunker Road heading through a cut in the mountain, and then right up into the Marin Headlands. Part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the headlands stretch north from the end of the Golden Gate Bridge and remain a vivid, gloriously beautiful reminder of the foresight of long-ago planners. And the best place for a spectacular view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

I drive the snakelike Bunker Road past greening hills edged by 360° views of a placid blue bay, stern, dark cliffs, and a white city; I say a silent prayer of thanks to San Francisco area citizens who campaigned to save the open space I'm standing on from developers so many years ago. If this were L.A…

Sure there are tourists up here: they’re dazzled by the views too, and happily snapping photos of each other like papparazzi going after Tom Cruise. But they don’t bother me. After they snap their pix, they’ll head for home. Me, I’m trying to decide what I want to do first here: explore old NIKE missle sites, roam historic Fort Barry and Fort Cronkhite, or trek out to the 150 year-old Point Bonita lighthouse. I end up hiking trails around sun-dappled Rodeo Lagoon and watching brown pelicans skim the waves. Of course, I don’t have to do it all today. I live here. I’ll be back.

Details: Contact the San Francisco CVB by clicking here, or call 415/331-1540.

New California mission exhibits in Southern California

La Purísima Mission State Historic Park (SHP), near Lompoc, is one of the best restored and best interpreted missions in the entire California chain of 21 historic churches. And soon it will be even better. Six years in the making, new life-size figures and historical displays will go into the recently-upgraded museum at La Purísima Mission, in one of the most extensive exhibit projects ever undertaken by California State Parks. The 14 new exhibits are set to open for the first time on Saturday, April 25^th in the Visitor Center at La Purísima Mission SHP.

Some exhibits interpret the early days before the mission, when the land was occupied by the Chumash people (see image of mural, right). Several tell the mission period story. Another describes the revival of interest in California missions in the late 1800s—early1900s and led to the 1934 decision to restore La Purísima Mission. It became the largest restoration project ever done by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in California.
An opening ceremony will be held from 1 to 2 PM, after which the exhibits will be open to the public. The ceremony will also commemorate the restoration of the mission by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Details: Call 805/733-3713 or click here.

Celebrate Earth Day in Yosemite

I can't imagine a better setting to convey the meaning and message of Earth Day than Yosemite National Park. So it's fitting that the park will celebrate the occasion with four days of special events geared to educate/ enlighten us all about environmental best practices, eco-friendly products and display nature exhibits and interpretive programs.

There will be a raft of events geared to children, from a Childrens' tent and a Family Walk (Sat. Ap. 18) to a Pedal, Play and Protect Bike Ride (Wed. Ap. 22). And some photo walks that show how Ansel Adams captured some of his most famous images. But don't forget to leave time to hike to a spring-gushing waterfall.

More highlights:

Friday, April 17th

7:00—8:30pm, Earth Day Family Night (Join Park interpreters and educators for an evening of song, entertainment and fun at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls Amphitheatre/Garden Terrace if weather is inclement.)

Saturday, April 18:

10:30 AM-2 PM Yosemite Village Mall Celebration. Wander between the Village Store and the Visitor Center to learn more about the NPS "Do Your Part Parks" program and how the changing climate is affecting the management of Yosemite's natural resources. Get the dirt on the park's geologic and hydrologic features and see how the park is implementing sustainability practices; check out hybrid vehicles and more from Yosemite Institute, Yosemite Association, and DNC’s “GreenPath” efforts.

Children’s Tent: Stop in at the kid's booth for easy kid and earth friendly crafts & face painting.

Earth-Friendly Product Faire, Sustainable/organic products; visit with vendors and receive free samples.

Details: Book your lodging early for this jam-packed week of enviro-fun. For a full schedule of Yosemite’s 2009 Earth Day activities, call 209/372-1445. For information on lodging, reservations and other park activities, contact 801/559-4949 or go online at www.YosemitePark.com.

A deal in Death Valley

This news just in:

Death Valley National Park

The Furnace Creek Ranch will offer the “Stay & Play” Package featuring one day of unlimited golf on the world’s lowest golf course at 214 feet below sea level, overnight accommodations, golf cart and club storage. From May 10 through Oct. 8, 2009, rates for this package are $140 for two people based on double occupancy in a standard room. Rates do not include applicable tax. This package may not be combined with other offers; some restrictions and blackout dates apply. To make book, call toll free at 1-800-236-7916 or 1-303-297-2757 or go to www.furnacecreekresort.com and use the promo code “GOLF.”

Ed. note: remember that summer heat means you'll have to play early or v. late in the day.

Near Yosemite, a Sierra wildflower hotspot

"Where is this hike, again?" my sister Mary Kay asks, as we wind along State Highway 140, climbing east from California's Central Valley. She's not whining (in fact, she's been pretty quiet since we left the In 'n Out Burger in Merced); it's just that there's nothing that looks like a hiking trail anywhere around. "I'm thinking it's just around the next bend," I assure her. "And once you see it, you'll forget the drive up."

Finally, we see the landmark (the closed Savage's Trading Post), park in a wide pullout across the street, and know that we've arrived: Hite Cove Trailhead. At Yosemite National Park’s front door, just 21 miles from Mariposa, or 8 miles west of El Portal, the Hite Cove Trail travels through the Mariposa County foothills and one of the best, most abundant wildflower displays—both showy and accessible.

This easy-to-moderate trail puts on one of the earliest of the big bloom shows in the Sierras. Right now, the poppies are out in a real orange-crush profusion (check them out on the Mariposa County Tourism website--better pix than we have).

We park (make sure you're in a legal spot) and head for the trailhead sign on the south side of the highway in the Merced River Canyon. Angling high above the meeting of the South and North forks of the lazy Merced River, the trail produces a bouquet of deep azure lupine right away, and out comes my camera. "Okay, Mary Kay," I command, "stand by the lupine and look like you're enjoying the floral scent." She complies, then informs me that lupine doesn't have a scent. "Oh well, nobody knows that," I reason, "and anyway, it'll make a good picture." (She still kids me about that one.)

It's midweek, so we have the trail almost to ourselves. Which means we can mosey along, hiking, taking pictures, and then pausing for a picnic atop a flat rock outcrop that gives us an inspiring view of the river below and a bundle of fairy lanterns nearby. It's sunny and warm, but a nice breeze is coming off the water, ruffling the field of poppies. My sister and I are just sitting here quietly; I take a mental snapshop. Click. This is a picture I'll remember for years to come.

Details: Dozens of flower varieties are already in gorgeous bloom in this high river gorge (Yosemite's higher wildflower flower meadows are still underneath snow). Oh, and the poison oak is out, too. It's an easy/moderate, 4.5-mile out-and-back hike to Hite Cove and back; not everyone goes the full distance, since right away you get to see hillsides blanketed by lupines, poppies, and almost 60 other wildflowers.

Peak time to visit: March through mid-May (it can be busy on weekends). Where: Off Hwy 140, 7 miles west of El Portal. Make hiking (or just Sierra wildflowers) the focus of a weekend getaway; for lodging and dining ideas, check the Mariposa County Tourism website. For more vacation ideas, roam around the California Tourism website.